


life is full of surprises, but never when you need one

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-02
Updated: 2013-01-02
Packaged: 2017-11-23 07:49:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/619746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Calvin and Hobbes AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	life is full of surprises, but never when you need one

**Author's Note:**

> If bastardization of beloved childhood characters is your thing, then forge ahead I guess. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not and cannot own real people. This is a work of fiction and is not meant to make assumptions about anyone's sexuality. If you are even slightly related to anyone involved in this fic, please turn back now. I am not affiliated with Calvin and Hobbes in any way and all characters belong to Bill Watterson and Andrews McMeel publishing.

Niall sat impatiently waiting in the tree house, his arms crossed over his bony chest.

“Liam!” He shouted at the figure scrabbling its way up the tree. “Hurry up you big lug!”

Liam grumbled from down below. Niall heard something about “ladders… hard to use… no opposable thumbs.”

“You know,” Niall frowned at Liam as he finally made his way into the tree house, “For a tiger, you really are terrible at climbing.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Liam muttered before he collapsed next to Niall, curling his tail underneath his body. “Just hand me a comic book.”

Niall picked up two comic books, giving one to Liam and claiming one for himself. They leaned against the wall and began reading. It wasn’t long before Niall became antsy. Liam wasn’t really surprised. Niall was always going, going, going. He was a  blonde ball of energy. Liam was much calmer but somehow he always got caught up in Niall’s schemes anyway.  Probably because they went everywhere together.

“We should have a water balloon fight,” Niall said suddenly. He had a mischievous glint in his eyes. Liam thought for a moment before setting his comic book down.

“Fine. I always win anyway.”

“You do not!”

Liam was already making his way slowly back down the ladder and ignored the young boy.

Niall reached the bottom shortly after Liam did and ran off into the house to get some water balloons.  
  
-

“Niall, sweetie, you really shouldn’t leave Liam out there all by himself. You don’t want something to happen to him.” Niall’s mother stood at the counter, cutting celery for that night’s dinner. She looked kindly at him, wondering how much she ought to humor him.

“It’s okay, Mom. Liam is a tiger. He knows how to take care of himself. And if any girls come by, he knows to maul first and ask questions later.”

Niall’s mother just shook her head and continued to cut the vegetables.

Niall reached into the cabinet and pulled out a bag of water balloons, tucking them underneath his shirt. He ran back outside to Liam. “Got ‘em!”

“Okay,” Liam began explaining, “Here’s the rules. We each take our own water balloons to either side of the house. I get the faucet in the back, you get the front. Then we have five minutes to fill up our balloons. After that, the entire yard is free game. Okay?”

Niall nodded, grabbed his half of the balloons, and sprinted to the front of the house. Liam slunk around to the back with his balloons. Reaching the faucet, he carefully placed the balloon over the nozzle and filled one balloon almost to bursting and then sat down to wait.

On the other side of the house, Niall finished filling his tenth balloon, creating a precarious pile to his left.  He figured it had been five minutes so he gathered all of his balloons together in his arms and hobbled the other side of the house.

Liam crouched patiently behind the shrub against the house. He knew Niall would overload himself with water balloons like always, and he wasn’t disappointed when Niall lumbered around the corner, his arms full to bursting. This was always too easy. Liam stood up and launched his water balloon straight at Niall’s face, his aim true. Niall gasped and dropped his armful, getting soaked by his own balloons more than by Liam’s.

Liam gave  _mreow_ of laughter and said, “I win. Again.”

Niall grumbled and started for Liam. Liam, being a tiger, had very quick reflexes and raced around the house. Niall chased him around the yard until he heard a shout.

“Niall!” It was his mother. “Dinner time. Quit playing around and get in here.”

“Just a few more hours! It’s not even dark yet,” Niall’s tone was whiny.

“No! Now!”

Niall and Liam stopped running. They looked at each other. “Man, she sure gets angry fast, huh?” Niall asked. Liam nodded in agreement, as they grudgingly made their way toward the house.  
  
-  
  
“Dad, I want Liam to sit next to me.”

Niall’s father stood up from the seat he had just taken and moved down one, and, rolling his eyes, said, “Are you sure Liam is up to eating dinner tonight?”

His wife nudged him with her elbow and gave him a warning glare. He just shrugged and started eating. Niall pulled Liam up onto the chair next to him and looked at his food.

“Mom, Liam can’t eat this. Tigers don’t eat casseroles.” Niall looked over at Liam and winked.

“It’s either that or nothing, Niall. I’m not getting out a can of tuna just for Liam  _again_  okay. He never finishes it.”

“Or starts it,” Niall’s father whispered with a chuckle.

“Will you stop?” She asked him. “I’m sorry Niall, but it’s this or nothing.”

Niall chose nothing. He sat at the table until both his parents were done eating, picking at his food and joking with Liam. When they were finally done, he excused himself (by jumping up out of his seat and running away) to his bedroom.

He changed into his pajamas and said to Liam, “You’re so lucky you don’t have to change into your pajamas.”

Liam chuckled at him and then said, “Did we get dessert?”

Niall just looked at him. “You think I would choose to come to bed without dessert?”

At Liam’s confused look, Niall pulled two chocolate bars out of his underpants. They were very warm and slightly melt-y.

“You think I am going to eat that?”

“Oh come on, Liam. They’re in a wrapper. I grabbed them this morning and forgot about them until we were eating dinner, and by then I couldn’t leave. Just quit your whining and eat it.”

Liam took his bar and leaned against his pillow. They ate in silence until they were both done. They left the wrappers in the bed, their faces dotted with gooey chocolate.

Simultaneously, they pulled at the bed covers and rolled to one side. Liam got most of the blanket and Niall sat up.

“You always do this. You always hog the blankets! You don’t even  _need_  them. You live in a big fur coat!”

“You don’t need them either! You run around all day, sweating disgustingly, and eating. You have enough flubber on your body to keep you plenty warm without stealing the blankets from me. And you should know this, but tigers have poor circulation so I am always cold.”

Niall just glared at him and tried stealing the blankets back. They began to tussle for them and ended up, both panting, and much too warm to want to use the blankets they had just fought for.

Niall and Liam kicked at the blankets with their feet until they had fallen completely off the bed. That was better. They fell asleep that way, on top of the sheets without any covers.

Later in the night, Niall woke up shivering. Liam heard him, and, instead of grabbing the blankets, he pulled his friend close, and hugged him into his fur. Niall burrowed into his soft coat and said, “Thanks, pal. It sure is nice having a tiger for a best friend.”

Liam just smiled at him and drifted off back to sleep


End file.
